1965, late autumn.
The capital, the Hongxing Steel Factory residential compound, commonly known to the people nearby as a siheyuan.
A cold wind swept dry leaves across the courtyard, mingling with the shrill sound of Jia Zhangshi cursing and the faint noises of Banggeng sneaking bites of steamed corn bread. The place was a noisy mess, steeped in the irritating bustle of ordinary life.
A tall figure slowly approached the courtyard gate.
The man wore an old military uniform, washed until it had faded. His posture was straight as a pine, and even with only a simple pack on his back, the imposing presence forged through the trials of war immediately silenced most of the racket in the courtyard.
His name was He Dahai. In his early thirties, he was He Daqing's younger brother and the biological second uncle of He Yuzhu and He Yushui. He had just returned to the capital after being discharged from the army, having fought in the Korean War.
In his previous life, he had been far away in the army and knew little about what was happening back home. By the time he returned after being reassigned to civilian work, his older brother He Daqing had abandoned his wife and children, while his nephew He Yuzhu had been drained dry by Qin Huairu's family, left lonely and destitute in his old age, and frozen to death beneath a bridge. His niece He Yushui had suffered all kinds of grievances, and her life was a complete mess.
Meanwhile, the courtyard's three elders, Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and Yan Bugui, were all hypocrites, the Jia family were bloodsuckers, and Xu Damao was devious and treacherous. This whole family of “beasts” had the He siblings completely under their thumb.
Reborn into this life, and with a mechanical voice suddenly ringing in his mind, He Dahai's eyes filled with cold killing intent. This time, he would never let tragedy repeat itself!
[Ding! The Strongest Siheyuan Guardian System has been bound!]
[Host: He Dahai]
[Identity: A decorated veteran of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, the He family's second elder]
